Quentin touched the lives of millions – on television, in print and through his campaigns. If you have a memory of Quentin, or would simply like to say what he meant to you, please share it below.
From friends and colleagues
Tributes paid to Quentin
And then there were two. Sad day.
The photo Jeremy posted: Jeremy, Quentin and Tiff Needell on Top GearJeremy Clarkson, Top Gear co-presenter · on Instagram, 8 November 2025
[Quentin] gave me proper advice and encouragement during my earliest attempts at TV, back in the late 90s. I’ve never forgotten it. Great bloke.
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James May remembers Quentin on Absolute RadioJames May, Top Gear co-presenter · on X, 8 November 2025
Q was positivity personified, a tireless force for good, who we often remarked was on the right side of history. And as a friend and colleague of his, we will miss him terribly.
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‘Top Tier’: Robert and Dan remember Quentin on Everything ElectricRobert Llewellyn and Dan Caesar, Everything Electric (Fully Charged) · on YouTube, 10 November 2025
Oh Quentin how can you leave us so soon. So many memories of the [Top Gear] we built in the nineties that I wanted to remember with you again. … RIP Q
Such sad news about Quentin. He was so supportive in my early career, I owe him more than I can ever say. Unique, brilliant and knowledgeable on camera, funny, generous and unfailingly excellent company off it. Go well Q.
I had hoped this was fake news, a sick joke perhaps, but sadly it is not. I worked with Quentin only this year. An intelligent serious journalist with style. A big loss. To his family and many friends and colleagues, my sincere condolences. God’s Speed Quentin
Quentin Willson was a huge influence on [Jonny Smith] in 90s Top Gear, and then on The Car’s The Star. Q didn’t just have a way of painting pictures with words, he carried a wealth of buying pearls of wisdom & possessed a broad car appreciation, from EV to V8. He was also a gent.
I am so utterly devastated to hear that Quentin Willson has passed away.
He was the architect of the Warrantywise plan and revolutionised, not just the car warranty market, but through his campaigning and journalism, made the entire UK Motor Trade a better place. …
Quentin’s legacy isn’t advocacy — it’s optimism backed by evidence, told by a human.
A belief that Britain could lead. A belief that drivers would choose better if we told the truth better. A belief that cleaner, quieter, cheaper mobility wasn’t a dream, it was already happening in plain sight.
The job now is simple: carry that clarity forward. For Q. For all of us.
Quentin wasn’t just a motoring journalist, he was a force of nature who believed in a cleaner, fairer future for drivers. His passion for electric vehicles was infectious, and I was lucky enough to see that up close.
When he set up FairCharge, Quentin joined EVA England’s fight for EV drivers, pushing for fairness and better infrastructure when it counted. … Quentin understood that this wasn’t just about technology, it was about fairness, accessibility, and the future we leave for the next generation.
I checked my emails and found his last message to me. It signed off with these words: “… Would love to come but time is my enemy right now. …”
Time may have been his enemy then, but the time he gave to this cause, and to people like me, will never be forgotten. Cheers, Quentin. Your place in EV history is assured.
Warren Ryan Philips, co-founder and former Chair of EVA England, now leading FairCharge · on LinkedIn, 8 November 2025
I was lucky to get to know him in recent years through his excellent work with FairCharge, where his passion for making electric vehicles accessible to all really shone through.
He was warm, generous with his knowledge and unfailingly kind. He brought the joy of motoring – from petrol to plug – into our homes and hearts, and will be greatly missed.
I hadn’t had the fortune to know Quentin terribly long, as we’d crossed paths when he’d recruited me for a film shoot.
I can say with 100% certainty that he’s one of if not the most kind, passionate, charismatic and humble people I’ve ever met. My only regret is that our paths hadn’t crossed sooner.
I can’t think of a single person who whilst at the lowest, in their hospital bed would take the time to not only provide me with some insightful career advice but would also out of their way to give a glowing reference for the work we did together.
I’ve never met any person of his calibre as genuine, down to earth and compassionate as him.
Thank you for everything Quentin, may you rest in peace.
Joe Russell, Freelance Videographer, IT Officer at Oxford Univeristy
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Quentin Willson
A renowned and hugely respected journalist, broadcaster and motoring campaigner, Quentin was passionate about road safety and driver training. He strongly believed that learning to drive at an early age created safer drivers – a view well proven now but not when he put his own kids through the Young Driver programme some sixteen years ago.
Quentin was supportive from the start, calling Young Driver ‘a road safety revolution’. We were honoured when he agreed to become our patron. In this role Quentin was tireless in representing us at conferences, hosting our annual challenges, promoting us in media interviews while also offering sage advice and unstinting encouragement over the sixteen years until his untimely passing.
Always generous, honest, creative and insightful, it is no exaggeration to say that Young Driver would not be here today were it not for Quentin’s early and ongoing support.
A genuinely lovely man, we miss his wry smile and keen sense of humour, his warmth and his sharp intellect. Most of all, we miss his friendship.
Farewell, Quentin. All of us in the Young Driver family owe you a huge debt of gratitude.
ian mulingani, Young Driver
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A year on and I can’t help but feel that what we lost when Quentin sadly passed has become even clearer. His huge absence is the true measure of the man. Quentin’s integrity is something that sticks with me, especially in a time when that’s such a scarce commodity in the world, and we can only try to emulate that. Missed now, more than ever.
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